During our NBA Most Likely series, I talked about how European guard Sasha Vujacic's lack of respect around the NBA causes him to get in a lot of confrontations.

Some have hypothesized that it is Sasha's pretty boy Euro look that causes him to be disrespected by some of the players throughout the league. Well, Sasha might have another European guard joining his club of disrespect.

Raptors rookie Roko Ukic is already feeling disrespected. After his first NBA game, he's already become well aware what most NBA players think of young European guards.Globe and Mail reporter Michael Grange gives us the scoop:

Roko Ukic has one NBA game under his belt, but he's already aware of what the rest of the league thinks about him.

He likely got his first hint in the preseason, when opposing guards tried to stick their noses in his chest to see if he could beat them off the dribble. He saw it on Wednesday night in Philadelphia - the first time he touched the ball in an NBA game, the 76ers put up a wall of full-court pressure.

"I was expecting [the pressure on the ball]," said Ukic, after helping the Raptors win their opener in Philadelphia. "I'm aware that everyone looks at me as a white, rookie point guard, but it's okay. That's my reality and something I will have to go through. It's normal, people will try to steal the ball from me."

If I were Roko, I would be happy by this disrespect. Seriously, I've seen Slovenian guards Sasha Vujacic and Beno Udrih embarrass folks around the league because of the lack of respect they receive. Both of them probably earned some of that disrespect based on the way they first played when they entered the league, yet both of them have been able to become really solid contributors to their team.

Ukic should play up the whiteness factor. Although I'm not white, I sort of do the same thing when I play pick up basketball. I tuck my shirt in, wear normal fitting shorts, and make myself look as un-intimidating as possible. People immediately think they can ball me up because I don't look the part of a baller. Then they get mad when I burn them.

It also worked for Woody Harrelson in White Men Can't Jump. That movie was all about a guy using an goofy facade to hustle his through the predominantly black outdoor pick up scene in Los Angeles.

And in the NBA, it's worked for Sasha Vujacic. I mean that hair net thing he has going on has brought him a lot of disrespect. But it also has put him in a position to take advantage of it. So Roko, learn to utilize the disrespect to your advantage.

In a while, no doubt I think Roko is gonna be a good player but right now he's playing like Jose did when he was a rookie. He is still getting used to the game in the NBA and I think in a while it will work out for him

I'd take Roko over Solomon right now because at least Roko can reconize it's not his place to shoot or try and be the first option off the bench. With Solomon we'd see at least 5 chucks a game, which might have been the difference in the last two games, especially against GS when they'd kill us in transition.

It was quite clear to me, and it seemed quite clear to Tyronn Lue, that Roko wasnt' even thinking about scoring the baskeball. He was trying to make the first pass to get us in the offense, and Lue was making that pass as hard as possible. Roko wasn't taking what the defense was giving him, for whatever reason, and he had a shitty game because of it.

It was quite clear to me, and it seemed quite clear to Tyronn Lue, that Roko wasnt' even thinking about scoring the baskeball. He was trying to make the first pass to get us in the offense, and Lue was making that pass as hard as possible. Roko wasn't taking what the defense was giving him, for whatever reason, and he had a shitty game because of it.

Soloman probably would of performed better than Roko did last night..

My point is, it's the PG's job to run the offence. He could go by him and go where? Into the paint where they were collapsing all night? He did what a rookie should do and that's do what the coach wants. You don't question it when you're a rook. You do as told.

Hell, Solomon was being dogged in the pre season for doing his own thing. Just run the play is your job.

The problem with Ukic is the same problem Jose had in his first year and that is, teams won't respect him until he can show that he can shoot the ball consistently and that he's an offensive weaopn. Until then teams won't respect him at all.

My point is, it's the PG's job to run the offence. He could go by him and go where? Into the paint where they were collapsing all night? He did what a rookie should do and that's do what the coach wants. You don't question it when you're a rook. You do as told.

Hell, Solomon was being dogged in the pre season for doing his own thing. Just run the play is your job.

The problem with Ukic is the same problem Jose had in his first year and that is, teams won't respect him until he can show that he can shoot the ball consistently and that he's an offensive weaopn. Until then teams won't respect him at all.

Yup. I agree. Until he becomes a threat, whether in scoring or play making, he ain't getting no respect.